


At the End of all Battles

by CartoonJessie



Category: Star Wars - All Media Types, Star Wars Sequel Trilogy
Genre: Angst, F/M, First Kiss, Force Bond, The Force Ships It, mamonna, reylo-zine
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-05-08
Updated: 2018-05-08
Packaged: 2019-05-04 01:45:36
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,135
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14582211
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/CartoonJessie/pseuds/CartoonJessie
Summary: Sharing a force bond with your enemy is... complicated. Even more so when you don't feel like they are the enemy at all and that friendship and even love would be for the taking if it wasn't for that bloody war.Months after the destruction of the Finalizer, Rey and Kylo are still unwilling to turn to the other's side, and as unwilling to give up on the other. Will they ever be together at the end of all battles?[Inspired by Mamonna's wonderful artwork - written for the reylo-zine]





	At the End of all Battles

Rey had never known spring. She hadn't really had a concept of seasons back on Jakku. Days had been blistering hot, nights had been freezing cold, and every now and then there had been sandstorms that had kept her prison in her little home.

Spring, summer, autumn, winter... Those were concepts she had no experience with. When they had arrived on Naboo, it had been gentle weather - the end of winter, they had said, and she had thought it to be lovely. But as days got longer and the landscape got greener, she was able to revel in the mild warmth of the sun - like she had when she had first stepped off the ramp of the Millennium Falcon on Takodana.

Like the day she had first met Ben.

Sitting in the high grass near a beautiful lake - meditating, she had told her friends, though that wasn't true - she sighed deeply. BB-8 was nearby, chasing some bugs through the fields, and Rey chuckled as she heard him beep in frustration whenever they got away from him. But even BB-8 couldn't distract her from the one she couldn't stop thinking about. 

It had been six months since she had left Ben aboard the wreckage of the Finalizer. Six months since he had decided that his path did not align with hers - though she was fully aware that she had regretfully decided the same.

Their Force Bond had only grown stronger since then - and it still managed to connect them at the most inopportune moments, sometimes several times a day. Though it seemed that it mostly connected them when they were alone and at ease, like early in the morning or late in the evening, there had been exceptions. She had watched him as he had been in meetings - and he had only been able to acknowledge her presence with a glance before he had returned his full attention to the discussions at hand - weighing his words carefully because he knew Rey would be paying attention to whatever he said - cautious so she wouldn't report everything he said back to the Resistance. 

Not that they really spied on each other with the purpose of gaining an advantage on the other. If anything, they just watched out for the other's well-being, but that did not mean they ever fully let their guard down. 

The first months had been the most awkward. They'd both been very upset about being on opposing sides and had desperately wanted for the bond to end. The agony of seeing the other was painful and they had tried to close themselves off for this thing - but it hadn't worked. 

They had agreed upon just ignoring it, and they had honestly tried, but ignoring each other did not convince the Force to stop connecting them. During those moments where they had found themselves alone in the comforts of their own rooms, they had started speaking again.

Though at first they'd tried to keep the topics casual, their bond was too strong to remain that way for long. After a little while, they had tried to persuade the other to join their cause again. Kylo had repeatedly expressed concern for her whenever Resistance pilots had been caught, saying that he didn't want their faith to become hers as well - and that he would feel better if she chose his 'winning' side. 

She had noticed the dark rings under his eyes - how he was exhausted from the stress and responsibility, and had offered him a life of freedom, a life where the weight of the galaxy didn't rest on his shoulders, but he had laughed the offer away - though she had not failed to notice the bitterness in that laugh. 

"And let Hux rule instead? No thanks. For both our sakes, it's better that doesn't happen. I may not be on your side - but you could have far worse an adversary than me."

Rey didn't understand why Hux was still around. It was clear that Kylo hated his guts, and yet he had not disposed of him. It seemed like Kylo understood that Hux wanted his title, and that he was only biding his time, and she truly could not figure out why one would ignore such a danger. Either he needed to remove Hux from his presence, or he needed to remove himself from that man's proximity. Kylo seemed afraid of ruling the First Order without him though, and she wondered if that fear was justified. Could he do it alone, or would the First Order fall apart at his hands? 

As she basked in the beautiful morning sunlight, listening to the birds in the distant forest and the buzzing of bees around her, she was at peace, and no thoughts of danger were in her mind for once. The Force was beautiful around her, and she enjoyed it immensely, her mind seeing the loveliest of futures ahead of her - where the war was over - and Kylo was with her - and they could remove themselves from the Resistance and the First Order - where it was just them, together, close, and the Force around them at ease because there was balance. 

She hated that Kylo didn't believe in that same future. Since he had become the leader of the First Order, he hadn't pushed for the destruction of the Resistance like Snoke had - or like Hux wanted - and she knew that it was because of her. He didn't want her obliterated. In fact, minutes before a strike near Chandrilla, he had asked if she was in that system. Only when she had said: "No, why do you ask?" had he given his approval for the attack. 

She'd been upset for weeks, and he had accepted her anger quietly, and she hadn't noticed any attacks quite as severe on Resistance targets since then. But that didn't mean they had stopped. That didn't mean that Resistance pilots weren't destroyed the moment their X-Wings were spotted by the enemy.

When she felt the Force hum around her, she knew that a link to Kylo was about to open, and warmed by the sun, she had a bright smile on her face. That smile soon faltered as the Force warned her of worse things happening on the other side of their channel, and as she felt a sharp pain in her chest, she gasped - unable to breathe for a moment - and she knew that Ben was in even worse pain than her.

When Ben appeared, he was already grunting, his clothes not the usual pristine black, but his cloak tattered and torn, and she knew he was under attack. 

"Now is not the best time!" he grunted through his teeth, his hands outstretched in opposite directions, though Rey could not see why. 

To her it was a strange sight, seeing Ben stand in front of her in the beautiful landscape, looking like war was raging around him, and he was incredibly focused as he tried to contain what Rey assumed to be some blasts on both sides of him. 

But he'd already been hit - she saw that - right in the chest - and though he'd been able to contain most of the damage, he was bleeding, and the rangs underneath his eyes were darker than ever against his pale skin, and Rey felt completely helpless as she watched him.

"Can I help?" she asked, her voice small, but immediately crawling up from where she had sat, ready to jump into action, even if there was nothing for her to do. 

BB-8 had spotted her getting up, and had rolled closer, aware that Rey sometimes saw things that weren't really there - spoke to ghosts, if it were, and he remained quiet. 

"Not much you can do," Kylo said through gritted teeth, turning suddenly to ward off more blasts - or whatever they were - from another side. "It's not the Resistance. It's Hux. Turned all my Stormtroopers on me."

It was something she had feared for a while now - and though a Stormtrooper on its own wasn't much of an opposition for a Jedi - or a former Jedi, like Ben - an army was difficult to take on. 

"Tell me where you are!" she shouted - even if it was quiet around her, she feared he wouldn't hear her if she didn't. "I'll come for you."

He let out a short and haughty laugh. "You'll never make it in time." He cried out in rage as he forced back more attacks, before he panted: "I'm sorry, sweetheart. I'm not sure how to get out of this one."

He had never called her that before - not even during the evenings where they had each laid in their own beds - talking while they waited for the Force Bond to end - or during the mornings where they had been the first thing their eyes had seen. She had taken his hand on a few occasions, and he hers as well. Once he had even cupped her cheek as he had wiped a tear of frustration and loneliness away, but never had they been more than "Rey" or "Ben" to each other.

Now that she was suddenly more, she certainly didn't want to end that. She'd waited for a long time to be more than 'Rey' to anyone. She didn't want to stop being this new thing to him - she wouldn't allow that.

"Please be careful," he said with his last strength, and he was able to look at her for a brief moment, the gaze in his eyes breaking her heart as she saw so much regret and hurt in them. "If I'm gone, your equal in darkness will rise. The Force will see to it. We had balance - some form of it. I thought I could have grown old with you - but apparently not."

Tears were streaming down her cheeks. He wasn't saying goodbye, was he? Was he about to give up? Was this what the Force had planned all along? 

How could the Force be so cruel, how could it connect them in this way for months, and then rip away her friend like that - the only one who truly understood her? 

Angry with the Force, she suddenly felt it soothe her, and her instinct was to fight it with more anger, to tell it off for being such a bastard friend to them - for being so mean to put them through all this loneliness and heartache for no reason at all. 

And then she felt how it wasn’t trying to separate them, but pushing her towards him, and trying not to let her fear control her - for that was the path to the Dark Side - and instead it tried to focus her on her hope and love, making her see a future of the two of them together - standing on a beautiful planet - on Naboo - at the end of all battles. Gasping, she realized that the Force wanted her to touch him, to protect his body with hers. 

"Rey..." he said, his tone both a plea and a farewell - a plea for anything but her silence, a farewell because he wasn't sure how much longer he could hold off the incessant firing he was subjected to - and she found herself rushing towards him and hugging him tightly, trying her hardest to protect him - not that she could see the other troopers - but she hoped her body could be his shield.

He gasped at her touch, his defenses wavering, but they were no longer necessary. The sight of the troopers around him had vanished and instead it was like they found themselves in a gray dome made of pure energy - pure Force. 

The warmth of the sun was gone from her skin now, and instead she felt the warmth of his body in her arms, and the unpleasantness of his blood now staining her clothes. 

He was wary as he looked around, not sure if it was safe to lower his defenses yet, and while he lowered his arms, he didn't dare relax into hers just yet - there was still a chance they'd be catapulted back into reality - as opposed to where they found themselves now.

"What's this?" he whispered, afraid to speak louder, feeling like it would be disrespectful to the Force that had led them there. 

She smiled as she looked at him. "I think we're safe here..." As she looked into his eyes, she did so affectionately, before she added: "...sweetheart."

He looked surprised to see his words repeated back to him, and he turned red in the face as he realized that he had actually said those words to her. 

"I thought I was dying," he said weakly, but his blush only spread from his cheeks to his ears, and Rey noticed it. 

"I'm not taking back what I just said," she insisted stubbornly, and at that he relaxed slightly. 

"Then neither will I," he agreed, stroking her cheek gently before he leaned in slowly. 

She saw him coming - knew that he was finally going for that kiss that she had once seen in a vision - knew that this was finally the beginning of their future together - but that didn't mean that she wasn't nervous or excited about it. 

Eager to seal this future of theirs, she leaned in, crashing her lips against his a little fiercer than she had planned, and while he seemed shocked, he soon learned to enjoy it and wrapped his arms around her. 

With their eyes closed in surrender to the sweetest of sensations, they suddenly felt a pleasant warmth engulf them, and heard the buzzing of bees and chirping of birds around them, and not in the least, BB-8's protesting beeps.

Rey pulled back at that to smile at the robot, who seemed offended by that, and Ben took in his surroundings, glad that they were alone for now. 

While Rey was glad that the warmth of the sun had returned on her face, it was Ben who closed his eyes then - like she always loved to do herself - and when he opened his eyes again, he realized that he was truly with her - not on the Star Destroyer of before. 

"I figured you were on Naboo," he muttered with a small smile, and she frowned. 

"You knew I was on Naboo?"

"For months," he admitted, and as he saw her perplexed expression, he chuckled. "They've been dressing you in Naboo garments for months, Rey. Didn't you realize?"

She gulped. She wasn't very aware of fashion, and she certainly hadn't known that Naboo's fashion was distinguishable enough to the eyes of the Supreme Leader. But what mattered, was that he had not betrayed her once he had gained that knowledge. He had kept her safe all that while.

"You knew this but you did not attack..." she observed, her voice rather small now. 

"Of course not," he spoke in hardly more than a whisper. "I couldn't stand the thought of losing you - least of all through my own actions." 

He had admitted to such a thing before. After he had sent a dozen Tie Fighters after the Millennium Falcon on Crait, he had been consumed with guilt to learn Rey had been on it. He had apologized for that - only for that - a dozen times before she had accepted his apologies and pleas for forgiveness.

He looked like a mess now. He was still pale - paler than usual because he was bleeding - and she could feel his physical pain. Though part of her wanted to stay and enjoy spring, there would be plenty of time for that later. 

"Let's get you to a doctor," she said gently, wrapping her arm around his waist so she could support him, and he put an arm over her shoulder - not just for support but also to have her near. 

BB-8 rolled beside Rey, not sure what had happened to make Kylo Ren appear by her side, but his trust in the Jedi was big enough not to question it. 

"You're sure that's wise?" he asked, a little afraid of seeing anyone from the Resistance that wasn't her - terrified of seeing his mother - of facing consequences for his actions. Part of him now wished to be put back on his ship, with hundreds of Stormtroopers surrounding him, shooting him while he had gone to address the troops. He felt anger at the betrayal of Hux and his troops, but it was better than his fear for the Resistance.

"Let go of that fear you feel," she whispered, recognizing it in the Force. "Just think of all the ways you can get back at Hux now that you're on our side. We'll make him pay."

As she began walking in the direction of the Resistance hide-out, he walked alongside her. 

"That doesn't sound like the Light Side a lot," he said with a grin, only to notice how she looked back at him and grinned too.

"I'm sure you'll balance it out, sweetheart."

He couldn't stop smiling at that. 

Sure, there were tough times ahead still - but he had Rey now. They were together. Maybe he'd finally sleep well again. And maybe - once they made Hux pay - there could be peace too. 

"I'll try," he promised.

As he halted in his steps, she knew why, and she leaned in for another sweet kiss - to seal that promise. 

"So I can stay with you?" he asked, a little terrified that they'd be torn apart.

"They'll need to go past my lightsaber if they decide to pry you away from me," she said defensively. "I've got your back."

"Good," he said with a relieved sigh. "Because I don't like this idea of walking into a Resistance Base, to be honest."

"Would you prefer it if I carried you?" she joked, and he chuckled, stopping when he realized the movement was making his chest hurt even more. 

It was a long walk back through the high grass - a beautiful walk, despite the blood and the pain he was in. But physical pain was nothing compared to the emotional pain he'd felt for so long. That was gone now, with Rey by his side. He'd been reborn a cleaner soul. Maybe not Ben. But certainly not Kylo either. Just someone for Rey to love - and someone who would love her with all he had - someone who would protect her and keep her safe. 

When he looked at it like that, he didn't feel conflicted about sharing every First Order secret he knew with the Resistance. It was time for peace to return and for the galaxy to be reborn. He'd make Rey proud - and then he'd make her happy - and as she felt every single good intention radiating off him, as promises to the Force, she felt like she belonged.

It was time to end this war. 

**Author's Note:**

> Mamonna's artwork was one of the first Reylo drawings I ever saw, and at the time it was an eye-opener for the potential of Kylo Ren's redemption arc and a future for Rey and Kylo together. I hadn't thought I'd write something for it a few years after seeing the art for the first time but I'm glad I did. I hope you enjoyed it! 
> 
> Link to the original artwork: http://mamonna.tumblr.com/post/139496729950/at-the-end-of-all-battles


End file.
